Shattered Harts
by teachinEnglish
Summary: They say the day is darkest before the dawn. Jonathan Hart is about to find out just how dark life can get. I see this as a Season 6 episode which happens in October, after the Hart's 8th Anniversary. Episodes referenced are: 4:15, 5:11, 5:1, and 5:12. There is a special tribute to Joe Moscalo and his role on Days of Our Lives.
1. Chapter 1

Jennifer Hart woke on her stomach, with her husband's arms wrapped around her and his lips exploring the sensitive spot under her ear.

"Mmm. Good morning, Darling." She turned into his embrace.

"I should probably apologize for waking you up, but I'm not going to." Jonathan Hart planted a firm kiss on her lips and felt her smile.

"Well, if you don't apologize, then we can argue. And after we argue we can make up." He laughed and kissed her again.

"Or we could just skip to the making up part." Jennifer ran her fingers through his hair.

"That's an even better idea." Jonathan had just pulled her as close as he could get her for another smoldering kiss when their bedroom door opened. Freeway jumped on the bed, and Max came in carrying their breakfast on a tray. Jonathan's forehead landed on Jennifer's shoulder with a thud. She laughed at his obvious disappointment as he whispered in her ear, "Someday we should talk to Max about his bad timing."

As usual Max was fairly oblivious to what he'd just walked in on. He was so used to seeing the couple snuggled together that it didn't faze him.

"Morning, Mr. & Mrs. H. I figured that you two might want breakfast in bed since you both have meetings all day." Jonathan shooed Freeway away from the eggs and bacon.

"Thanks, Max. This looks great." Jennifer took a sip of her coffee.

"What are your plans for the day, Max?" He handed Jonathan the paper.

"Me and Freeway are going to run some errands, maybe go for a w-a-l-k at the p-a-r-k." Jennifer smiled as Max spelled out certain words.

"Well, it's a beautiful day for that." Max nodded and called to Freeway.

"Let's go, boy. You've got breakfast in the kitchen." Jonathan shouted to Max to have a good day. Once the door shut, he moved the tray to the floor.

"Breakfast looks great, but you look even better."

A while later, they walked down the stairs hand in hand. Jennifer had her keys out but set them on the table with her purse to straighten Jonathan's tie. She kissed him lightly, loving this little ritual. Sometimes she fixed his tie, even if it didn't need it, and she knew that occasionally Jonathan messed it up on purpose.

Jonathan was watching his wife closely. As she fussed over him he took in the shape of her eyes, her high cheekbones, the pertness of her nose, the fullness of her lips. He smiled as he remembered those lips on his just a few minutes ago. The love he had for her overwhelmed him sometimes.

"There. Now it's perfect." She was going to take a step back, but he wrapped his hands around her upper arms and pulled her to him. They were so close that there was barely a breath between them.

"What would I ever do without you?" She smiled at him.

"Thankfully, you won't ever have to find out." Jonathan kissed her passionately and tried to pull her back upstairs. She laughed indulgently.

"Jonathan, we both have meetings today." He gave her one last kiss.

"Save my place, Darling?" Jennifer smiled slowly and seductively at him.

"Consider it saved." With one last kiss and an "I love you.", she was out the door. She heard Jonathan repeat those words to her as the front door shut.

...

Jonathan spent all of Monday morning in closed door meetings with the head of his legal department, Stanley Friesen, and another trusted executive.

"Jerry, things are getting worse. The company is bleeding money, and every time we get close to finding the leak, we get blindsided with something else. Whoever is doing this is one step ahead of us. It's got to be an inside job."

"I don't disagree with you Jonathan, but you're running out of time. The Board is getting anxious and losing confidence in you." Jonathan turned to his lawyer.

"Dave, how much longer can you keep them off me?" He shook his head.

"I don't know, Jonathan. There's blood in the water, and the sharks are circling."

"What have you found out, Stanley?"

"There are a lot of inconsistencies in the books, Mr. Hart. It started small, but now it's out of hand. There's a lot of money being siphoned off. I'm trying to find a pattern, but there doesn't seem to be one. There's definitely something off with the financial reports though. I'll find it, Mr. Hart; I just need more time." Jonathan slammed his fist on his desk.

"Dammit. I can't lose the company. Whoever is doing this doesn't care about the people who work here. I won't watch them all get thrown out on the streets. We've got to find who's behind it and fix it." Jerry asked for some clarification.

"You still own 51% of the stock, and Jennifer has some, right, along with her seat on the board?" Jonathan nodded. "Jennifer can run some interference, and that buys you some time, but not much. If you continue to lose the support of the board, you could own all the stock and it won't save your position." They continued to hash through what they knew and what they might be able to do, but it was daunting.

By day's end, they figured they might have until the end of the week at best to find the saboteur and begin to repair the damage.

At 5:45 pm, Jonathan left Hart Industries with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Going home and sitting down to a relaxing dinner with his wife were two things he needed desperately right now. He greeted Freeway on his way in the house and called for Max and Jennifer.

"Hey Max. Where are you? Darling, are you home?"

"Hiya, Mr. H.. I'm in the kitchen." Jonathan walked through the swinging door.

"That smells great, Max. What are you making?" Max took the lid off the stew pot.

"Chicken and dumplings." Jonathan took a deep breath as he loosened his tie.

"It looks as good as it smells. Is Mrs. H. home yet?" Max shook his head.

"I haven't seen her."

"All right, I'm going to go up and change." The gate buzzed and Jonathan answered it. "Hello?"

"Mr. Hart, it's Lt. Draper. May I come up?" Jonathan shot Max a confused look and pushed the button to open the gate. Max shrugged.

Jonathan stood in the open doorway, wondering what brought the lieutenant out to the house. The two men shook hands and Jonathan led Lt. Draper to the living room.

"Would you like some coffee or something else to drink?" Lt. Draper clasped his hands together.

"No. No, thanks." The man took a deep breath and Jonathan's curiosity grew. "Mr. Hart, is Mrs. Hart at home?"

"No, she had some meetings today with her editor and publisher. Why?"

"Which car did she take?" The curiosity turned to a pit in his stomach.

"The yellow convertible. Why?"

"Mr. Hart, you need to sit down." Jonathan's heart started hammering in his chest.

"No, Lieutenant, you need to tell me why you're here." Max came in to see if he could get anyone anything. The tension in the room stopped him in his tracks.

"Mr. H., what's going on?"

"That's what I'm waiting to find out, Max."

"Earlier today we got a report of a car going over the edge on Route 2. We found a plate near the scene that matches yours, "2 Harts", and the framework of the car belongs to a Mercedes convertible. I'm sorry, Mr. Hart." Jonathan had to concentrate on his breathing, and he felt Max lay a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't understand what you're saying. Is it or is it not my car?"

"We aren't one hundred percent sure at this time. The car exploded after it landed. It burned to the shell before we could get a rescue team down the cliff. We think the plate ripped off as the car flipped against the rocks on the way down." Breathe in, breathe out.

"The driver?"

"Burned beyond recognition." Jonathan's knees buckled, and he landed on the sofa. Max went to get some water. Jonathan continued to try to process it all.

"If you couldn't identify the body, it might not be Jennifer."

"Mr. Hart, who else had access to your car?" Jonathan got up to pace, ignoring the water glass Max held out for him.

"If it is my car." He paused, his mind reeling. "I don't know if Jennifer lent it to anyone else, but there's a chance that the person in the car isn't Jennifer, right?"

"I don't want to get your hopes up."

"Is there anything to identify the driver?"

"No, not at this time. We're going to try to run dental records, but that will take some time. When we have something more, I'll let you know." Lt. Draper started for the door but turned back around. "I really am sorry, Mr. Hart." He let himself out.

Jonathan and Max stood motionless for a long time, the younger man staring into the ashes of the fireplace, and the older man unsure of what to say or what to do. "Mr. H.?" He could hear the waiver in Jonathan's voice as he answered.

"What, Max?"

"Can I get you anything?" Jonathan shook his head slowly.

"Just Jennifer."


	2. Chapter 2

Jonathan called the police station repeatedly for updates. The answers he got frustrated him completely.

"No, there isn't any reason for you to come to the station."

"No sir, there isn't a way for you to identify the body."

"Mr. Hart, when we have more news, we'll let you know."

"Yes, at this time, we believe that it was your car and your wife, but we are continuing to collect evidence."

By 10:00 pm, Jennifer still wasn't home, and the accident was all over the news. Apparently, a witness saw the car lose control and plummet over the edge of the cliff around 4:00 pm. The witness confirmed it was a yellow Mercedes convertible. The report went on to say that another car crossed the center line, and both drivers swerved to avoid the collision. Due to the rain over the past few days, the shoulder was soft and the Mercedes lost control. The news reporter reminded viewers of the recent landslides on Route 2 and urged them to be careful while driving. Jonathan watched the coverage, hoping he could find some clue as to his wife's whereabouts but angrily clicked off the TV. He refused to believe Jennifer was in the county morgue. Unfortunately, he couldn't get the reporter's voice and the lead in out of his head.

"Jennifer Hart, wife of wealthy industrialist Jonathan Hart, is dead after a fiery car crash this afternoon."

No "presumed dead", no mention that it might be someone else in the car, nothing to help him hold on to that little shred of hope that his wife wasn't driving. He heard Max in the kitchen and decided that talking to his old friend was healthier than shattering all the glass in the bar against the wall.

"Max, why are you cleaning the kitchen at this hour?" Since he was in there, he got himself a glass of milk. He didn't want it, but it gave him something to hold so he would stop clenching and unclenching his fists.

"I don't know what else to do, Mr. H.. I thought it might keep my mind off Mrs. H. not being home." Jonathan nodded.

"Is it helping?"

"No, it ain't."

"I don't get it, Max. The news mentioned a car that crossed the center line. Why didn't that driver stop?" Max stopped cleaning and poured himself a glass of milk.

"Maybe they didn't realize what happened." Jonathan shook his head.

"It doesn't feel right, Max." He paused for a minute. "Jennifer is a good driver. She wouldn't have been careless."

"Maybe it's like the news said, Mr. H.. She just lost control in the mud." Jonathan's voice cracked.

"She can't be gone, Max. She can't be."

...

Jonathan couldn't sleep. He and Max talked well past midnight, but Max finally fell asleep on the couch. Jonathan's mind was too wired. He kept thinking of all the "what ifs" and of all the "last times", even though his heart wouldn't let him believe what the news told him. "_There has to be a different explanation_." He prowled the living room, and his eyes lighted on the photos on the piano. Their favorite photos of each other and them together. Jonathan remembered vividly the kiss captured in the photo he held, and he refused to accept that yesterday morning was the last time he would ever kiss Jennifer again. He sat at the piano bench, which he'd shared with her so many times, as memories engulfed him.

Suddenly, it was two Valentine's Days ago, and he'd just presented her with a Chemistry Set. She was playing a classical piece that he loved, even though he couldn't remember the name. "_If Jennifer was here, she would tell me; she's always better with those details than I am._" Their conversation flashed through his mind like a movie.

"_You really are my valentine." _He remembered her little laugh, which made him smile sadly_. "I'm not being funny."_

"_Really?"_

"_Yes. I mean, you make me everything that I am." She kept playing but looked at him._

"_I do?"_

"_Umm-hmm."_

"_What are you?" She looked at him again as he smiled and leaned in for a kiss._

"_I'm yours."_

He could feel his tears falling but was powerless to stop them, and just like that, his memory shifted to their last Christmas.

Like all Christmases, they'd put the tree up together, but they'd also gotten a Christmas miracle when Lisa came out of her coma. Calling the young woman who had become family to tell her about Jennifer had been one of the most difficult things Jonathan had ever done. Calling Steven Edwards was worse. He put that call in the back of his mind. His heart was too raw to go through it again. Jonathan's tears continued to fall as he thought about the trip to Europe he was planning as a Christmas surprise this year. Now it wouldn't happen.

He heard the clacking of keys as her fingers flew across the electric typewriter and he stared through the dim light at the empty desk she used for writing. A world renowned journalist on the trail of her next story. "_I'm not sure I ever told you how brilliant I think you are; even when I didn't like that you were a reporter_." He shivered involuntarily as the cold breeze of the Thames surrounded him, and as he closed his eyes, he felt Jennifer's lips on his for the first time, which warmed him immediately. When he opened his eyes, however, he was sitting at the piano, his arms empty, and his heart hollow.

Jonathan placed his elbows on the keys, which let out a discordant clang, and put his head in his hands. "I can't do this without you, Jennifer. I just can't." Suddenly, all the little things overwhelmed him because in his wife's absence, they became the most important things.

Max kept his eyes closed and pretended to be asleep, but he felt the tears trickle down his cheeks as he heard Jonathan's voice. He'd never heard Jonathan Hart sound so despondent.

Finally, Jonathan wandered up to the bedroom, a room he avoided all night. Her scent surrounded him the moment he opened the door, and he couldn't even look at the bed. Jonathan changed out of his business suit into casual clothes, left Max a note, and headed toward the scene of the accident.

Almost 12 hours after his car careened over the ledge with Jennifer presumably in it, Jonathan wandered that stretch of Route 2 with a flashlight. He saw the skid marks on the road and the depressions in the mud where the guardrail was torn and jagged. Every once in a while he had to remind himself to breathe. There was no way for him to climb down the rocks, even if it had been broad daylight, and his flashlight wasn't powerful enough to see much more than a couple feet down. Dejectedly, he walked to the Rolls and wept helplessly at the wheel before slowly making his way back home.


	3. Chapter 3

Jennifer Hart was bewildered, exhausted, and livid. She'd been yanked from her car and watched as two men loaded a bag into the driver's seat before sending it careening over the cliffs on Route 2. After that, she was hauled to a remote cabin where she'd been given the most inane excuses. She'd been arguing with the same man for well over an hour.

"But what you're telling me makes no sense."

"Because you're not listening, Mrs. Hart." She threw up her hands.

"Of course I'm listening. You're the one not listening. You've told me that my husband is under investigation for corporate espionage and embezzlement, and I'm telling you that Jonathan Hart is the most honest man I've ever met. There is no way that he is responsible for the crimes you're saying he's committed." Special Agent James Crouse of the FBI took a deep breath and tried again.

"Mrs. Hart, I know you want to believe your husband, but we have evidence." Jennifer didn't even flinch.

"Then it's wrong." She crossed her arms, prepared to continue the battle. "You've also neglected to tell me why I'm here and why you blew up my car. This goes beyond your investigation into my husband." Her voice cracked and tears fell. "Jonathan will be devastated if he thinks I'm dead. You have to let me speak to him. Please." The agent hated that she was crying, but he had to give Mrs. Hart credit. She was smart, and she was tenacious. She'd gone toe to toe with him since she'd been brought to the safe house.

"Mrs. Hart you can't talk to him." Jennifer hated the pleading she heard in her own voice, but she was desperate to talk to Jonathan.

"Why not? You have no reason to keep me in protective custody if you're investigating Jonathan for white collar crimes. I don't know anything, other than the fact that my husband hasn't done anything wrong. I'm not in any danger. Please, let me call him."

He was loath to tell her that her husband put out a contract on her life, but at this point, he couldn't avoid it. She reacted exactly as he expected her to.

"That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life." Her tears forgotten, she paced in the small room. "My husband has saved my life more times than I can count. There is no way he would try to kill me." She stopped pacing and glared at the agent in front of her. "What sort of wild goose chase are you on?" Agent Crouse tried to calm her down.

"Mrs. Hart, I…" She rounded on him again, her eyes blazing.

"I have always had a great deal of respect for the law, Agent Crouse, but this time, you are dead wrong." A thought occurred to her. "What if I tell you I don't want protection? What if I refuse?"

"We still can't let you go, Mrs. Hart. You could tip your husband off about our investigation."

"So now this is no longer about protecting me, but saving your ridiculous farce of an investigation?" She shook her head. Jennifer needed time to think. She stalked from the room and slammed the door to her bedroom shut.

After she left, Agent Crouse turned to the man by the door.

"What do you think, Brian?"

"She definitely doesn't know anything about it, and she loves her husband. For her sake, I hope he is innocent."

...

Jonathan looked haggard when he dragged himself through his office door later Tuesday morning. Deanne couldn't bring herself to say anything other than, "I'm sorry Mr. Hart.". Jonathan only managed a curt nod.

He sat down heavily behind his desk, knowing he didn't want to be at work, but knowing he had to be. Instinctively, he reached to straighten his tie. His mind drifted to yesterday morning, Jennifer standing in front of him, and the tears slid down his cheeks unchecked. He had no idea how he would survive without her.

Finally he called for Dave, Frank, and Stanley. As soon as they walked through the door, he got down to the business at hand. He didn't leave his office all day because he couldn't bear to hear how sorry everyone was for him.

They spent hours poring over reports, acquisitions, and mergers from the last six months to a year and finally thought they might have a line on the what. It was tenuous, but it was more than they had yesterday and it would hopefully lead them to the who.

...

Shortly after 6:00 pm, Jonathan got a call from Lt. Draper at home. He picked up the extension at the desk in the library nook.

"Any news?"

"Nothing good, I'm afraid."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that the car fire burned hot enough to obscure the identification through dental records." A flicker of hope shot through Jonathan.

"So, you're telling me that you can't tell me for sure whether that was Jennifer in the car or not." He heard a sigh through the other end of the line.

"Mr. Hart, I know it's hard to accept, but Mrs. Hart hasn't come home yet, and your car is disintegrated. We're calling it an accident and declaring Jennifer Hart legally dead." He waited a beat. "I'm sorry, Mr. Hart. Really."

Jonathan sat back in the chair, the dial tone buzzing in his ear. Max approached his boss and took the phone out of his hand.

"Mr. H., are you all right?" Jonathan's voice was empty.

"No, Max, I'm not." There were long pauses between Jonathan's thoughts. "That was Lt. Draper." "They're closing Jennifer's case." "Calling it an accident." "Even though they can't officially identify her, they…" "They…" Jonathan broke. He couldn't bring himself to say the words. Max wrapped his arms around the man he'd known since boyhood and wept with him.

...

Jennifer tried all day to find a way to contact Jonathan. She was able to secure some paper and a pen but had no way to mail a letter. However, writing made her feel closer to her husband, so she decided to write him letters while she was where ever she was. Agent Lee saw no harm in it. If she was busy writing, it meant she wasn't yelling at him or Crouse.

"_Darling,_

_I have no idea if you'll ever read this. I'm not even sure why I have to write it. Nothing makes sense right now. I want so badly to let you know that I'm not dead and that I miss you terribly. I'm in protective custody, but I don't completely understand why."_

She went on to explain what she'd been told before telling Jonathan in no uncertain terms how much she believed in him.

"_I don't believe a word they've told me. How can I when I know you so well; when I know how much you love me? Darling, there's obviously someone trying to undermine you and get you out of Hart Industries. I know these are just words on paper, but I hope they somehow find a way to get to you. I need you to be careful. I need you to be there for me to come home to, whenever that might be. More than anything, I hope you know how very much I love you and believe in you. Want to know something silly? I missed straightening your tie this morning."_ She signed it with a simple "J" and had to blot at the tear that fell on the paper.

After Jennifer finished the letter, she did what she did best. She started researching. Not that she had much to go on. She started by writing down everything she knew from Agent Crouse. Then she wrote down what she knew about her husband and his business practices. She named all the members of the board and tried to think of reasons that one of them might want to forge a hostile takeover. Money seemed to be the obvious answer. Hart Industries was worth hundreds of millions of dollars, but who would be willing to kill for it? She spent hours organizing what she knew and finally realized she could do no more.

Rather than trying to get through verbally to Agents Crouse and Lee again, she left her notes on the desk by the phone. If they wouldn't listen to reason, maybe they would at least read it.

Emotionally she was completely spent. She went back to her room and tried to will herself to sleep. It was elusive, however, and she tossed and turned all night. She hated sleeping without her husband.


	4. Chapter 4

Jonathan refused to sleep in the bed he shared for the past eight years with Jennifer. He didn't even want to go into the bedroom, but he needed to change and brush his teeth. This time he braced himself outside the door for her scent, but it still punched him in the gut as he walked in. The tears rolled down his cheeks again, and he wondered how he had any left at all. He found himself talking to her and just let the words come.

"Darling, I don't want to believe you're gone. Part of me can't believe it, but I know you. I know you would be home if you could be." He had the nightgown she wore that last morning in his hand and held it to his cheek. "Dammit, Jennifer. Where are you?" He hurled the nightgown onto the bed, did what he needed to do, and shut the doors behind him on his way to the guest room.

...

Wednesday afternoon a bit of fate intervened and Agents Crouse and Lee went out to the driveway to change the tire on their vehicle. Apparently they'd picked up a nail somewhere and the slow leak finally took its toll. Jennifer crept from her room to the main room and picked up the phone, never taking her eyes off the front door.

She let out a silent whoop of triumph when she heard the dial tone. Jennifer entered her phone number quickly but hung up again just as quickly. What if their home phone was tapped? What if the person who put out the hit on her in Jonathan's name was listening in? She had to let him know she was alive though. She couldn't bear the thought of his anguish. It had already been almost two days. She smiled slowly as she came up with a plan.

Jennifer fought back her disappointment when the answering machine picked up. It told her to leave a message and have a good day, all in her husband's deep, rich voice.

She left a name but no call back number, because she didn't have one, and she tried to convey how urgent her call was without sounding desperate.

After she hung up, Jennifer fought valiantly to keep her tears from falling but wasn't able to manage it. "You have a good day too, Darling."

...

By late Wednesday afternoon, Jonathan, Frank, Stanley, and Dave knew the who. Once Stanley was able to grab the thread on the trail left in the financial reports, they followed it through shell corporations, multiple bank accounts, and finally got a name. Jonathan smiled a feral smile as they formed a plan to trap the thief. They also prepared to restructure the company and put the pieces back together. Jonathan was fairly sure that the authorities would be able to reclaim the embezzled money from the various accounts. For some reason Jonathan couldn't explain, Caleb Jackson hadn't funneled the money into Swiss or Bahamian accounts. Jonathan called in Lt. Draper to go through the evidence and his plan, hoping that they had enough for the methodical investigator. He was assured that the police would get right on it.

Later that evening, Jonathan called an emergency Board of Directors meeting. He called each member individually to ensure there was no breach of secrecy. As he looked around the room, he had to close his eyes and take a minute to collect himself after seeing Jennifer's empty seat. The board honored her with their own moment of silence. Jonathan cleared his throat.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I called you all here to fill you in on the newest developments in what has turned into a hostile takeover bid. Please be assured it is under control." He talked them through the findings and was heartened by their unanimous support at the end of the meeting.

At least he felt as though he had a bit of control back over something in his life.

...

When Jonathan returned to his office, Lt. Draper was waiting for him.

"Lieutenant, what can I do for you?"

"I just wanted you to know that we're looking for your man, but he seems to have vanished. He covered his tracks quite well too." Jonathan waited as Draper got to the rest. "If I didn't know you as well as I do, Mr. Hart, and if I didn't trust Herschel Grey, you'd be in handcuffs right now." Jonathan looked at the other man quizzically.

"What are you talking about?"

"Everything you told me this afternoon, points back to you. While searching Caleb Jackson's apartment, we found documents and bank statements that make you out to be the mastermind of the company's issues."

"That's ridiculous. Why would I sabotage my own company?" The lieutenant shrugged.

"A lot of money disappeared. You could live on an island somewhere very comfortably with it."

"You've forgotten one thing, Lieutenant. I'm already a very rich man. I don't need to destroy the company I built to live comfortably elsewhere." Draper nodded.

"I know; which is part of the reason why you aren't in handcuffs."

"What's the other?"

"We started a run on Mr. Jackson after you contacted me."

"What did you find?"

"Jackson has a penchant for gambling. The problem is he's not very good at it. He owed the wrong people a lot of money."

"That explains why he didn't siphon the money into offshore accounts. He needed to keep it close to pay off his debts." Jonathan continued his thought. "He must have also paid off some of the debt with Hart Industries stock. There's been some heavier trading there, and it looked like we were headed for a hostile takeover." Jonathan needed to mull that over some more.

Draper hesitated. "There's one more thing."

"What's that?"

"Mrs. Hart's accident might not have been an accident." Jonathan's whole body went rigid.

"Why do you say that?"

"We found correspondence between Jackson and a known hit man. They were trying to make it look like you put a hit out on your wife. It seems like another way to make you look unfit with your board for that takeover." Draper shrugged a bit. "You can't fight it if you're in jail." Something about the whole debacle bothered Jonathan.

"Jackson didn't have the brains for this. You find him, and you make him talk. I want the man behind this." Lt. Draper could feel the vibrations of barely controlled fury coming from Jonathan as he tried to reign in his rage.

"Mr. Hart, I know how to do my job." Draper said he'd be in touch and let himself out.

After Draper left, Jonathan calmed himself down and sat down to call the house to see if Max wanted him to pick anything up on the way home. He needed time to talk through everything with a trusted friend.

As Jonathan reached for the phone, Deanne buzzed him.

"Yes, Deanne?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Hart, but Steven Edwards is on the phone for you." Jonathan sighed heavily.

"It's all right, Deanne. You can put him through. You can also call it a day. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thank you, Mr. Hart. Good-night." He picked up after the call transferred.

"Hello Steven."

"Jonathan. I'm calling to see if you've made arrangements yet." Jennifer's father sounded as though he'd aged thirty years in the last two days.

"No, I haven't. I wanted to be sure before I claimed… They wouldn't release…" Regardless of how he tried, Jonathan couldn't bring himself to say, "Jennifer's body." He still couldn't admit to himself that she was gone. He went with the new information. "Now there are new developments."

Jonathan walked Steven through what he knew and promised to call as soon as he knew any more.

Finally he called Max.

"Nah, Mr. H., we don't need anything. You got a phone call today though. Some British dame. Sounded important."

"Who was it, Max?" Not that Jonathan wanted to hear any more condolences, especially from across the pond.

"She said her name was Louise Tobin. She didn't leave a number." Jonathan could feel the blood drain from his face. He shot out of his chair, and his hand was shaking as it held the telephone receiver.

"Say her name again, Max."

"Louise Tobin. She had a British accent. You know her, Mr. H.?" Jonathan's smile spread slowly and he felt like he could breathe for the first time in almost two days.

"You do too, but I'll explain later, Max. I've got to go."


	5. Chapter 5

"Mrs. Hart, we know you called your husband. We need to know what you told him." She repeated herself for the third time.

"Like I've already told you, I didn't tell him anything. I called, but the answering machine picked up. Besides, if you know I called him, then you know what I said."

"Repeat it for us. And tell us who Linda Tobin is." She rolled her eyes.

"Louise Tobin. And I am Louise Tobin." She said it slowly for emphasis. The agents looked at each other, confused.

"You have an alias?" Jennifer smiled sadly as the day she met her husband replayed in her mind.

"I did. The day I met Jonathan." She wiped at her tears impatiently. Jennifer walked the men through the story of the article she was writing in London, how she met Jonathan in the bar at the Ritz but couldn't give him her real name, and how they managed to solve the murder of her London editor. Agent Crouse was intrigued.

"Do you and your husband find yourselves in situations like that often?" Jennifer chuckled ruefully and shrugged.

"More often than we'd like to, that's for sure." Suddenly she had a thought. "Call Lt. Draper of the LAPD. He'll tell you that Jonathan isn't capable of what you're investigating him for. Better yet, call Herschel Grey. He's retired now, but he can vouch for my husband too. We've worked closely with both of them over the years." Agent Lee asked another question, ignoring Jennifer's pleas.

"Why didn't you use your real name when you called?"

"Right now, the only person I know I can trust is Jonathan. I've been under protection before and the one individual who actually kept me safe was my husband." She took a deep breath and continued. "I don't know if my phone is tapped. I didn't want to take a chance that whoever is setting Jonathan up would know that I'm alive. Maybe my being dead is the only thing keeping him safe." She swallowed the tears that were again threatening. "I also thought you might have my house tapped." She rolled her eyes at her own misstep. "It didn't occur to me that the phone here was wired."

The ringing of the phone in the living room startled her. She listened to Agent Lee's side of the conversation and realized that whatever was going on seemed to be in full chaos mode. As soon as he hung up the phone, Crouse asked what was happening. Lee didn't look happy.

"The locals are involved." He speared Jennifer with a look. "Apparently your husband got Lt. Draper drawn in this afternoon." Crouse was confused.

"Why?"

"Hart told Draper that some guy in his company named Caleb Jackson was embezzling. Draper said Hart and a few of his trusted advisors have been trying to piece this together for the last few weeks, but it all just came together for them this afternoon. Jackson's gone under, but he had copies of all the evidence we've gathered in his apartment, including the correspondence about the hit on Mrs. Hart. He's obviously been our anonymous leak inside Hart Industries." They both looked at Jennifer, who was standing with her arms crossed, a smug smile on her face.

"I'm not a woman who usually says 'I told you so', but I told you both my husband was innocent." Crouse wasn't completely ready to concede.

"As of right now, it's leaning toward Jackson rather than your husband, but we need to find Jackson first."

Jennifer let out a disgusted, "Oh." and headed for the bedroom. "When do I get to go home?"

...

Jonathan was currently standing in Lt. Draper's office telling the investigator that Jennifer was alive.

"She called me."

"You said she left a message on your machine."

"Yes, but I know it was her."

"Because she left you a fake name?" Jonathan was getting exasperated.

"Not just any fake name. This is a name that only Jennifer, Max, and I know, and even Max didn't remember it." Draper wanted to believe Jonathan, but he was a man who followed the evidence, even when it wasn't one hundred percent. Unfortunately, the hit made Jennifer's death much more plausible.

"Then where is she?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm here, asking for your help."

"I'll make some calls. The Feds are involved. Maybe they know something." Jonathan was more frustrated now than ever.

Neither man noticed the detective move away from Draper's door and place a call from his own desk.

"The Hart woman's alive. Check with the Feds, and check phone records. Apparently she called Hart this afternoon."

...

On his way home, Jonathan put in a call from the car to one of his tech guys. He asked him to run a trace on his home phone and find out where the phone call from Jennifer originated.

By the time he got home, he had an address.

He ran in the door, told Max to call the police and raced down the road to find his wife.

...

Jennifer had her back against the wall, Agents Crouse and Lee were unconscious on the floor, and a man she didn't know was busy pouring gasoline down the other walls of the cabin.

"Please. I have no idea what this is about."

"I'll explain it in the car." He brandished his gun at her. "Now move." He grabbed her arm and pulled her out the door as he flicked a match toward the soaked baseboards. The cabin ignited in seconds, and Jennifer flinched at the horrid whoosh of the flames.

She was shoved into a car and whisked off into the night. Jennifer's thoughts raced. She didn't want to still be in the car when the driver got to his destination, but she had no idea where she was.

"Where are you taking me?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Why didn't you leave me with the agents?"

"Cause you're already dead. It would raise a lot of questions if they found you in that cabin." She had to give him credit for that.

Finally, she saw the headlights of car driving toward them and hoped her plan worked. Jennifer grabbed the wheel and the gear shift, trying to throw the car into park. The sudden jerk threw her assailant forward into the steering wheel. It felt like she was moving in slow motion as she unbuckled her seat belt, threw open her door, and rolled onto the street. Jennifer tried to get up as quickly as she could, but she jammed her shoulder when she landed and had trouble pushing up off the pavement.

The car coming toward them slowed and after passing by stopped about a hundred yards in the other direction. She could hear the man with the gun yelling after her but she didn't stop. She just kept running toward the other car and straight into the arms of her husband. Unfortunately, Jonathan didn't have time to hold her because of a man running at them with a gun.

"Get in the car." She did as she was told and watched through the rear window.

Jonathan dodged as a shot rang out, and Jennifer could tell that the man with the gun was hurt. He wasn't moving in a straight line. Jonathan bull rushed him and got in a couple of punches, but took a strong one to the jaw. He'd just gotten the man on the ground when Jennifer saw red lights and heard sirens. The police took over, and Jonathan sprinted back to the car. This time, when he got Jennifer in his arms, he didn't let go.


	6. Chapter 6

She was sitting in the ambulance arguing with both her husband and the paramedic.

"I don't need to go to the hospital. I need to go home." The medic, who had Melanie on her name tag, was trying to reason with her patient.

"Mrs. Hart, we just want to make sure everything is all right. Your vitals are all normal, but you took a hard fall out of the car." Jennifer looked at Jonathan imploringly and squeezed his hand, which she hadn't let go of since they were reunited.

"Darling, I'm fine. Really. I didn't hit my head; I just jarred my shoulder a bit." He couldn't stand the thought of Jennifer not coming home with him, but he also needed to make sure she wasn't really hurt.

"Maybe it would be better just to check it out." Jennifer shook her head vehemently.

"No, no, no." Jennifer looked again at Melanie. "You said yourself it wasn't dislocated. There isn't any sharp pain when I move it. It'll just be a bit sore for the next couple of days. I'll ice it and take aspirin if I have any pain. I promise." She looked back at her husband. "Jonathan, I spent the last two nights without you. I don't want to spend another." The tears came unwillingly. "I need to go home. Please."

Jonathan nodded. He needed her at home with him too. "I promise to take good care of her. If anything gets worse, I'll bring her straight to the hospital."

"I'm sure she'll be fine. I just always like to err on the side of caution." Jennifer clasped the young woman's hand with her free one.

"Thank you."

The Hart's drive home was silent save for Jennifer's conversation with her father on the mobile phone. She assured Steven that she was fine and promised to fill him in the next day. She also promised that she and Jonathan would make a trip out to see him soon. After that, the last ten minutes or so were quiet while both were lost in their own thoughts and fears from the last two days, but their hands were joined in the middle of the seat.

...

Lt. Draper was waiting for them in the living room when they came through the front door, but Jennifer had a couple of other hellos to give first. She scooped up Freeway and nuzzled her face into his fur before giving him a kiss on his wet nose.

"I missed you, Baby. Yes, I did." She set him back on the floor and walked to Max who enveloped her in the biggest hug he'd ever given her.

"It's good to see you, Mrs. H.. The house ain't quite so nice when you aren't here." She laughed softly.

"Oh, Max. I love you. I missed you too." Abruptly he let her go, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and retreated to the kitchen to deal with his emotions.

Jonathan noticed the tears in her eyes, so he took her hand and led her to the living room.

"Lt. Draper. What can we do for you?" They situated themselves on the couch.

"I won't take much time. I'm sure you're both exhausted." He turned to Jennifer first. "I'm very glad to see you, Mrs. Hart." She smiled.

"It's very good to be seen, Lieutenant."

"I just want to let you know that we were able to close the case tonight. The FBI has what they need and so do we."

"I'm assuming that means that I am no longer a suspect in espionage or murder for hire?" Draper shook his head.

"No, you're not. Nick Rhodes was the man behind all of it." Jennifer shook her head, not understanding.

"But Nick Rhodes is in prison. He has been for more than eight months."

"Unfortunately, he had men still loyal to him, Mrs. Hart. Even though he was in jail, he was still able to maintain control of the business."

"He's tried to kill me on five different occasions now. When will it end?" Jonathan wrapped his arms around her.

"Now. Nick Rhodes is dead." Jennifer looked at the lieutenant quizzically.

"You're sure."

"He's not a Phoenix, Mrs. Hart. I promise you, he won't rise from the ashes."

About a half hour later, Lt. Draper left after explaining how Rhodes blackmailed Jackson into being the inside man at Hart Industries. Rhodes saw Jackson's debt to him as a way to get revenge on both the Harts for their role in his incarceration. He ended up dead because he stabbed an inmate while trying to use a guard to escape and got shot in the process. Draper also assured Jennifer that Agents Crouse and Lee were both in good hands at the LA General. The FBI had men en route to the safe house who were able to pull the two unconscious agents to safety, and while they were being watched overnight due to smoke inhalation and minor burns, they would make a full recovery.

"This nightmare is over, and this will sound very small due to what the two of you went through, but thank you for your help and understanding. Good-night."

Jonathan shut the door and pulled Jennifer into his arms.

"What do you say we head upstairs for what's left of the night?"

"That sounds like the best offer I've had in almost three days."

They walked up the stairs arm in arm. Jonathan stopped when they got to the door of their bedroom.

"I couldn't sleep in here while you were gone." Jennifer placed her palm on his cheek. "The first night, I didn't sleep at all. Last night, I stayed in the guest room, but I don't think I actually slept." She wiped his tears with her thumb as her own slid down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Darling. I wanted to call you. I pleaded with them to let me. It tore me to pieces knowing that you thought I was dead." She took his hand and they walked through the doors together.

"Max was right, you know. This isn't home if you're not here." Jennifer threw her arms around him, even though it hurt her shoulder, and just held on as all of the emotion of the last few days washed over them both.

"I never believed them. Agents Crouse and Lee. They told me what they were investigating you for, and I gave them all the reasons they were wrong." She and Jonathan got ready for bed while she listed them. As she put her pants in the dry cleaning pile, she found the letter she'd written. Jennifer handed it to him as she climbed into bed. Once he finished reading, he turned to the woman he loved more than anything in the world.

"I love you, you know."

"I do. You love me better than anyone else ever could." She kissed him softly. "I love you too." He smiled his first real smile in over two days.

"Are you still saving my spot?" Jennifer gave him a mischievous smile.

"You're the only one I'd save it for." As he kissed her, he reached over and turned out the light.


End file.
